Feeding mechanism



March 1950 c. A. BURKHOLDER 2,501,933

FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 17, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 "x E Q Q 3 a &

w l\ INVENTOR 33 g E Cfl..Bur]ch0Zder By M Wjfi/ ATTORNEYS c. A. BURKHOLDER FEEDING MECHANiSM March 28, 1950 Filed Feb. 17, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Cf H..Burkbolder ATTORNEYS March 28, 1950 c. A. BURKHOLDER 2,501,933

V FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 17, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR C H. .Burkbolder BY- MW ATIORNEYS March 28, 1950 c. A. 'BURKHOLDER FEEDING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Fb. 1'7,- 1949 INVENTOR C fl..5urkbolder M TWZ/ ATTORNEYS March 28, 1950 Filed Feb. 17, 1949 C. A. BURKHOLDER FEEDING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I vii ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 28, 1950 FEEDING MECHANISM Claude A. 'Burkholder, Fresno, CaliL, assignor to General Box Distributors, Fresno, Calit, a corporation of California ApplicationFebruary 17, 1949, Serial No. 76,965

11 Claims.

substitution for the toggle link type feeding mechanism embodied in the machine shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,014,452 on Box making apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reciprocating feeding mechanism which is simplified in structure and smoother in operation as compared to the feeding mechanism shown in the identified patent. Addition- "ally the present structure has a minimum of loose play which assures of accurate movement of the parts of the box structure as the same are advanced toward the nailing machine.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a practical feeding mechanism, and yet one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the reciprocating feeding mechanism showing the position of the same at the start of a parts-feeding stroke and before the picks have been turned up to an operative parts-engaging position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism showing the same at the instant of initial advancing movement of the main carriage after the picks have been turned up to their operative position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism showing the position of the same when latched at the forward termination-of a parts advanc ing stroke and before the picks have been turned .down to clear such parts on aretracting stroke.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism showing the same approaching the rearward :termination of a retracting stroke.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view-of the mechanism in the position of Fig. 1. r

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the mechanism comprises a carriage indicated generally at I and which is mounted on rollers 2 supported on fixed guide rails 3 which are a art of the main frame structure 4 of the machine.

The carriage includes a central platform 5 and elongated side bars 6 having upstanding arms I at their ends. The arms support longitudinal rods 8 which are turnably mounted on suitable bearing elements 9 and have radial fingers III of varying lengths at intervals in their extent. Such fingers are known as picks, and are adapted to engage and advance the parts of a box structure from a hopper assembly along a guideway to the nailing machine.

The carriage I, including rods 8 and picks 10, thus function, with respect to the advancing of such box-structure parts, in the same man ner as the table 29 of said U. S. Patent No. 2,014,452, wherein the hopper assembly, guideway, and nailing machine are clearly illustrated in detail. For the purpose of brevity only the improved reciprocating feeding mechanism is here shown, but its-relation to the remainder of the box making machine as a whole will be evident by reference to the aforementioned patent.

The major feature of difference between the operation of feed table 29 of said patent and that of carriage I of the present application is that while said table is arranged so as to drop while on the back or retractin stroke so as to clear the picks from the advanced box parts, the carriage I remains at a constant level; the picks I 0 being turned to clear such parts during the retracting stroke, and returned to an operative position during the advancing stroke.

This operation is attained by the following structure: Mounted on platform 5 are transversely spaced rods II on which an auxiliary length of the stroke of carriage I! that a degree rotation of eachrod 8 in one direction or the other occurs with each full stroke movement of carriage I 2. Also, the picks IB are positioned on rods 8"relative to the set of cams I5, that as carriage I2 moves in an advancing direction, the picks I 0 are swung up to a vertical movement. (See Fig. 3.) A spring 38 acts on bar 34 and tends to lower the forward end thereof. At its rear end, bar 34 is formed with an upstanding finger 39 projecting through opening I6 and normally back from but positioned for engagement by a rearwardly facing cam element 40 on and depending from carriage I2. (See Fig; 4.) This cam element only engages finger 39, to cause latch element 36 to be lifted from member 31, when carriage I2 reaches its extreme limit of travel in a retracting direction and after This link in turn is pivoted on the upperend of an oscillating lever I9, which is pivoted at a fixed point at its lower end, as 'at'20", for swingingmovement lengthwise of the'dire'ction of travel of carriage i. The lever is oscillated through a stroke of predetermined length, suffieient to give carriage the desired length of traveljby a crank 2I pivotally connected, as at 22, to a sleeve 23 slidable on lever I9. The crank 2I is fixed on a driven shaft 24 suitably supported in the main frame 4 of the machineand driven from'a source of power in substantially the same manner-a shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,014,452.-

Fixed on-and depending from platform is an ear 25 (Figs. 1 and 4) on which alatch bar 26 is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at H, for swinging movement in a vertical plane. At its rear end, relative to the direction of advancing movement of carriage I, bar .26 is formed with a beveled latch element 28 adapted to engage a cooperating latch finger 29 (-Fig. 4) secured on frame 4 when carriage l is inits fully retracted position. A compression spring 3!] acts on bar 26 and tends to lower the rear endthereof. The opposite or forward end of bar 26 carries an upstanding finger 3| which projects through opening I6 and is adapted to be engaged, upon advancing movement of carriage I2 from its rearmost position, by a sloping cam 32 mounted on and depending from carriage I2. (See Fig. 2.) When bar 26 is latched, as shown'in' Fig. 1, the forward upper end of finger 3| is ahead of cam 32 so as not to interfere with advancing movement of carriage I2 on carriage I. With the having effected the downward turning of the picks II] by the action of rollers M on cams I5.

Here also, therefore, carriage I will not be released for retractive travel until carriage I2 has moved" through its stroke and the picks have been-turneddown so as to clear and leave advance of carriage I2 to its forward limit of movement, however, cam 32 engages'anddepresses finger 3I, lifting latch 28 clear of the cooperating member 29 as shown in Fig.2.

Carriage I is thus released for advancing movement only after carriage I2 has moved through its full stroke and cams I 5' have been actuated by rollers I4 to turn rods 8 to swing the picks Hi up to an operative box-parts engaging and advancing position. Carriage I will then be advanced with carriage I2 as a unit-through the full advancing stroke, since carriage I2 then abuts the forward blocks l3 whichare rigid with carriage I. The rods 8- and picks-IE! thereon will also remain in an operative position, since cams I5 still remain engaged by rollers M which thus prevent any undesired rotation of rods 8. Similarly, a retracting stroke of the carriage I2 takes place to lower the picks, before any retracting movement of carriage I takes place after the latter has reached the forward cnd-of its partsadvancing stroke. This is accomplished by the following means: 1 Depending from platform 5 is-an ear 33. on which a longitudinal latch bar 34 ispivoted-intermediate itsends, as at 35. Bar 34, at its forward end, carries a latch element-3tv adapted to engage-a cooperating latchfingeri 3,1 fixed onthe mainframe 4 such engagement) taking place when carriage I reaches its .foremost limit of behind the box parts previously advanced.

In order to insure against any possible movement of carriage I2 relative to carriage I when the latter is traveling, finger 39 is arranged to project through an opening AI in carriage I2 and to bear against the rear edge of said opening (see Fig. 2), when carriage I2 has been fully advanced and while latch bar 34 is clear of its cooperating latching member and element 36 is in its lowest position as urged by spring 38. Said latch element 3% is then at'a level lower than that of latch member 31, so that as the two approach each other, their beveled facing edges 42 engage each other before any latching is effected, and finger 39 is lowered from opening 4| so as not to interfere with the subsequent retracting movement of carriage I2. Said carriage I2, when once fully advanced, thus cannot have any relative retractive movement on carriage I (and which might be occasioned by the dragof the box parts on carriage I) until carriage I is latched at the end of its advancing stroke.

Similarly, relative advancing movement of carriage I2 on carriage I during the retracting stroke of the latter is prevented by reason of the fact that finger 3|, when its bar 28 is released from cooperatinglatch member 29, projects up- :wardly directly in front of the for-ward edge of carriage I 2and engages the same as shown in Fig. 4. Such engagement is released, as bar 25 approaches a latched position, by the engage ment of the cooperating beveled surfaces 43 of latch elements 28 and 29, which cause the adjacent end of bar 26 to be lifted and the forward end thereof, including finger 31, to be lowered so thatthe latter clears carriage I2.

From the'foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantiallyfulfills the objects ofthe invention, as set forth herein.

' While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be reported to'as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended'claims.

Having thus described the invention, the follow'i'ng'is cla-imed'a's new and useful and'up'o'n which Letters Patentare desired: i

1 A reciprocating feeding mechanism for boxs'tructure 'rriakihg machines comprising,- with a horizontal supporting unit, a main carriage mounted on the unit for advancing and retractmg-movementalohg the same, 'a' rotatable 'rod parallel to and above the carriage, means rotatably mounting the'rod on the carriage, picks to engage the work. projecting radially from .the

rod and disposed in a position clear of the work when the carriage is being retracted, means to reciprocate the carriage through advancing and retracting strokes of predetermined length, and means included in part with the reciprocating means to turn the rod suflicient to dispose the picks in an upstanding work engaging position during the advancing movement of the carriage, and to again turn the rod to swing the picks down to said work-clear position during the retracting movement of the carriage.

2. A reciprocating feeding mechanism for boxstructure making machines comprising, with a horizontal supporting unit, a main carriage mounted on the unit for advancing and retracting movement along the same, a rotatable rod parallel to and above the carriage, means rotatably mounting the rod on the carriage, picks to engage the work projecting radially from the rod and disposed in a position clear of the work when the carriage is being retracted, means to reciprocate the carriage through advancing and retracting strokes of predetermined length, and means included in part with the reciprocating means to turn the rod sufficient to dispose the picks in an upstanding work engaging position before any advancing movement of the carriage takes place and to maintain the picks upright for the duration of the advancing movement of the carriage and to turn the rod to swing the picks down to said work-clear position prior to any retractive movement of the carriage takes place and to maintain the picks in such down-swung position for the duration of the retracting movement of said carriage.

3. A mechanism as in claim 1 with means maintaining the carriage latched against movement at either end of its stroke until the rod has been turned.

4. A mechanism as in claim 1, with automatically engaging latch means holding the carriage against movement in the opposite direction when it arrives at the end of each stroke, and means included in part with said rod turning means to release the engaged latch means as soon as the rod has been turned.

5. A reciprocating feeding mechanism for boxstructure making machines comprising, with a horizontal supporting unit, a main carriage mounted on the unit for advancing and retracting movement along the same, a rotatable rod parallel to and above the carriage, means rotatably mounting the rod on the carriage, picks to engage the work projecting radially from the rod, an auxiliary carriage mounted on the main carriage for free lengthwise reciprocating movement thereon through a stroke of predetermined limited length, cooperating stop elements on the main and auxiliary carriages limiting the movement of the latter along the main carriage in either direction, reciprocating means applied to the auxiliary carriage to move the same through its stroke until the stop elements engage each other and to then move the auxiliary and main carriages as a unit in the same direction a predetermined distance, and means actuated by such movement of the auxiliary carriage in an advancing direction to turn the rod so as to dispose the picks in an upright work engaging position, and to turn the rod with movement of said auxiliary carriage in a retracting direction to swing the picks down to a position clear of the work.

6. A mechanism as in claim 5, with automatically engaging latches holding the main carriage against movement in the opposite direc-- tion upon the arrival of said carriage at the end of each stroke, and means actuated by movement of the auxiliary carriage along the main carriage in said opposite direction to release the engaged latch when said auxiliary carriage reaches the end of its stroke.

7, A mechanism as in claim 5, in which said rod turning means comprises a helical cam on the rod, and an element fixed on the auxiliary carriage and engaging the cam.

8. A mechanism as in claim 5, in which said rod turning means comprises a helical cam on the rod, and an element fixed on the auxiliary carriage and engaging the cam; the angle of said cam relative to the length of the stroke of the auxiliary carriage being such that the rod will be turned through an arc of substantially degrees and the length of said cam relative to that of said stroke being such that the cam engaging elements always remain engaged with the cam.

9. A mechanism as in claim 5, with latch bars mounted on the main carriage and projecting lengthwise thereof in opposite directions, fixed cooperating latch elements on the supporting unit for engagement with one or the other of the latch bars when the main carriage reaches the end of either stroke, and means between the bars and auxiliary carriage to release whichever bar is latched upon movement of the auxiliary carriage to the end of the subsequent stroke thereof along the main carriage.

10. A mechanism as in claim 5 with a latch bar mounted on the main carriage and projecting lengthwise thereof, a fixed latch element on the supporting unit to engage the forward end of said latchbar upon the arrival of the main carriage at the forward end of an advancing stroke, means actuated by retracting movement of the auxiliary frame to release the bar from the latch element, and means included in part with said last named means to cause the latch bar to lock the auxiliary carriage against relative retracting movement on the main carriage until a latching action is effected.

11. A mechanism as in claim 5, with a longitudinal latch bar pivotally mounted on the main carriage for swinging movement in a vertical plane, means acting on the bar tending to lower the forward end thereof to a predetermined level, a fixed latch element on the supporting unit engageable with the forward end of the latch bar upon arrival of the main carriage at the forward end of an advancing stroke, and arranged when engaged to cause the bar at its forward end to be then raised from said level, a finger projecting upwardly from the rear end of the bar so as to be directly in the path of retractive movement of the auxiliary carriage when the forward end of the bar is at said level so as to be then engaged by the auxiliary carriage and preventing such movement thereof, the height of the finger being such that it will drop clear of said carriage when the forward end of the bar is raised by engagement with the fixed latch element, and a cam on the auxiliary carriage engageable with the finger to depress the same so as to raise further the forward end of the latch bar so that it will be clear of the latch element upon retractive movement of the auxiliary carriage to the rear end of its retracting stroke.

CLAUDE A. BURKHOLDER.

No references cited. 

